Alpine A390 review – French Porsche Macan EV rival compels and confuses
Alpine's applied its engineering nous to create an EV SUV with real driving appeal
It sounds absurd to say but even when we first tried a prototype of Alpine’s forthcoming A390, its all-electric SUV-coupe, initial signs pointed towards a car with one very specific thing in common with the A110: it being the very next best thing to and, in certain circumstances, better than the equivalent Porsche, without being a cut-and-paste caricature of its Stuttgart equivalent.
Of course it’s not the Cayman in the A390’s crosshairs but the Macan Electric, even if it's deliberately smaller and not a square match. Both the A390 and Macan are products quite apart from the cars for which their makers are beloved (indeed the A390 is over 2120kg at the kerb) yet both are critical to these companies’ financial stability hereafter. The next A110 continues the icon, but the A390 is to fund it, as well as to spread the Alpine name much further and wider than the sports car ever could and potentially aid the A290 in finally making the UK Alpine’s top market.
Nine months on from that initial taster, the A390 is ready and we’ve been driving it on some of southern Spain’s best roads to find out.
Even though it falls into Alpine’s ‘Lifestyle’ range of cars, rather than its ‘Icon’ range (see next A110) or its new 'special projects' line (Ultimae and the rumoured hypercar), Alpine claims the A390 is still shot through with the kind of technical detail and delivers the dynamic agility to be deserving of the badge. It even claims it’s as fast and agile as the A110.
It’s certainly striking to look at, with an angular, scalloped, triangle-festooned (Alpine calls those scattered DRLs ‘Cosmic Dust’) nose. Move down the side and the 21-inch ‘snowflake’ wheels and black lower trim and roof take some visual weight out of the design but it's got some natural hips and shoulders to its shape. The stubby rump is complete with a katana-like rear light unit with detailed graphics and a medium sized boot lip. There’s also the distinctive Alpine touches of course, including a black roof floating over the c pillar, a central spine, twin nostrils and quad DRL lights across the front.
Alpine insists it's not an SUV, rather a 'sport fastback'. It does appear lower in person than in pictures and for good reason, given it's only a centimetre taller than the A290.
Under the skin is what’s most important to us of course. The platform itself is a development within the AmpR medium family, making the A390 a relation of Renault’s Megane E-Tech and Scenic, as well as Nissan’s Arya and Leaf, the Arya already having received the Nismo treatment.
Don’t be spooked however. Alpine has majored on engineering detail here, starting with how it’s powered. Fed by a new 89kWh battery are three electric motors (the only tri-motor example in its segment, which includes Porsche’s new Macan) with one on the front and two on the back axle, collectively producing 395bhp in GT trim (that we’re driving) and 463bhp and a stonking 596lb ft in the range-topping GTS. The GTS hits 62mph in 3.9sec on the way to a 137mph top speed, the GT taking 4.8sec and maxing out at 124mph.
That power is split equally between the motors. The rears are of a permanent magnet synchronous design that’s lighter than that of the front motor, aiding in the A390’s 49:51 weight distribution. The rear motors (set within their own unique aluminium cradle) are where Alpine has gone the extra mile, with its patented active torque vectoring that makes full use of the fact that each rear wheel has its own motor.
Boldly for an ostensibly heavy electric SUV, the A390 features passive damping with no changeable modes. Adaptive dampers were considered but what wasn't a worthwhile trade for the added complexity and wight. What it does have are hydraulic bumpstops, serving alongside long-stroke dampers as a body control and ride comfort failsafe. Likewise, the A390 gets its own lightweight aluminium suspension components to reduce unsprung mass. There’s a quicker steering ratio 12:1 and 365mm brake discs clamped by six-piston calipers, housed within 20 or 21-inch wheels, the latter shod in bespoke A39-marked 245-section Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. The A390 is distinct from its platform-mates too, at 6cm wider than the Mégane E-Tech, with just a 1cm longer wheelbase.
Step inside the A390 and there’s a lot to take in, some good and some so-so. The seats hug and support where you want them to and the steering wheel is immediately familiar: carried across from the Renault 5-based A290 hatch, including the ‘OV’ overtake boost button and ‘RCH’ four-way regen’ adjustment dial. There’s plenty of Renault in here too, such as the media controls behind the wheel that in layout date back to the early 2000s. Some of the materials are a familiar scratchy matte plastic, though they’re offset with real Alcantara, aluminium, carbonfibre and Nappa leather trim elsewhere. The UI is all Alpine – crisp and intuitive with plenty of blues, whites and reds in typically French fashion.
Five drive modes include Normal and Sport returning as well as Save and Perso. What’s new for the A390 is a dedicated ‘Track’ mode, almost entirely releasing the ESC constraints and allowing for near full control of power, though full ESC off requires a switch. The drive modes affect three dynamic parameters (independently changeable in Perso): Engine for adjusting throttle response, Steering Effort for adjusting steering weight (but not ratio) and new for the A390 with its twin rear motors, Agility Control, managing the aggression of the torque vectoring. The augmented sounds also vary through the modes.
Trundling out onto Spain’s varied carreteras, from motorways to mountain roads, two things at first become apparent. First, the steering is light and quite sharp, with at first unexpected response for a high-rider that takes some getting used to, requiring micro management and fine adjustment at speed. It's just a bit too easily distractable by uneven tomography for its own good – a trait known to those familiar with the A290 hot hatch.
Second, the passive suspension gamble appears to have paid off (with the usual caveat that we’ll need to confirm on UK roads). It’s composed and mostly comfortable, constantly communicating but rarely jarring - it feels expensive, sophisticated. It strokes up and down on its dampers over bumps at speed with decorums. High-frequency impacts can but rarely yield a properly unnerving thud thanks to those bump stops.
Throw it at a switchback-strewn mountain road and the A390’s spritely steering comes into its own, the throttle and brakes are well-judged in terms of modulation and that plush suspension exhibits real control. Well-judged body roll serves as a reliable barometer for what is and isn’t sensible pace and aggression.
You quickly trust the A390, which leads you to start looking for magic from the Alpine Active Torque Vectoring. Bring up the Car menu, then Live Data and under the Agility sub menu, a diagram showing the rear of the A390 appears and exactly how much power is going through which motor. It’s 50:50 at the straight ahead and we saw as much as 73 per cent going to the outside wheel through sharp hairpins with a glug of throttle.
Does that result in gratuitous slides? On dry grippy Spanish roads in the 395bhp A390 GT on the optional 21s and Michelins, no. Rather, keen neutralisation of the car’s attitude, the rear axle almost spitting you straight from mid-corner to exit, having helped tuck the nose in entry in concert with the sharp steering.
The Ioniq 5 N is keener on the road, though being more extreme with more power helps. Of course, Porsche’s base Macan (against which the 464bhp A390 GTS will be keenly priced) is rear-wheel drive only.
The more powerful GTS ought surely to be livelier. Indeed in terms of pace the GT feels fast enough most of the time, if a little out-of-breath sometimes when punching it uphill from say, 50-60mph. Perhaps a second high speed ratio on the rear axle would've helped here.
The A390 is an enjoyable, responsive, balanced and well-resolved car to drive enthusiastically. As you’d hope of an Alpine, there are aspects of how it drives that you can enjoy all the time and at speeds below those that’ll flatten the battery and take chunks out of the Michelins. For a car of this type, that’s really saying something.
Gripes? The quite chunky mirrors get the wind roaring at motorway speeds, noticeable more so for the relative lack of tyre roar. The view out of the back is very A110-inspired which is to say, it’s slim by sports car standards, more so by family crossover standards.
Charging and range aren't top of the class either – 190kW for the GTS, 150kW for the GT. The difference comes from the confusing fact that the GT and GTS batteries use different chemistries.
There’s also an annoying protruding trim element on the central tunnel that hurts your knee if the rear passenger needs too much legroom; room in the rear itself isn’t great - leg or head. The UI features too many pop-up windows too, like every time you adjust your seats.
Is it efficient? WLTP range is 345 miles, our testing yielded less than 300 projected, though this is not representative of typical use. More exposure in real world conditions will provide a truer picture and confirm if the A390 isn’t afflicted with the A290’s shocking short range.
The A390 compels in ways and concerns in others. The engineering and dynamic detail you hope of an Alpine is there, even if there’s still a slight ‘for an EV’ caveat. But while it rides well, the mixed-quality cabin and frenetic steering at speed mean your line of questioning is turned on its head: is it a good electric SUV? Yes, even if they'd much rather you call it a ‘sport fastback'. But the caveat is ‘for an Alpine’. The issues typical of a slightly rough and ready hot hatch that are there in the A290, glare more in a car described by Alpine as a GT; a car looking for a slice of the Macan’s action. To drive though? It's damn near if not the best of its kind.
Price and rivals
Alpine claims there are no direct rivals for the A390 but the aforementioned are obvious and there’s talk of BMW’s iX3 and the Lotus Eletre. Though exact figures are TBC, the A390 GT and GTS will be priced in the region of £62,000 and just under £70,000 respectively.
That makes it appear good value on performance alone (if range isn't a priority) compared to the 355bhp £68,600 Porsche Macan, and 400bhp £71,900 Macan 4. Though a bit bland inside, the Macan even in its basic forms is better on average for interior fit, finish and materials. The Polestar 4 is the value proposition, available in 536bhp, 367-mile-range dual-motor form from £65,000 (discounted from £67,000). Audi’s Q6 and SQ6 are pricier than the Polestar and less dynamically satisfying than the Porsche.
That makes it appear good value if range isn't a priority, compared to the 355bhp £68,600 Porsche Macan, and 400bhp £71,900 Macan 4. Though a bit bland inside, the Macan even in its basic forms is better on average for interior fit, finish and materials. The Polestar 4 is the value proposition, available in 536bhp, 367-mile-range dual-motor form from £65,000 (discounted from £67,000). Audi’s Q6 e-tron and SQ6 are pricier than the Polestar and less dynamically satisfying than the Porsche.
And then, of course, there’s the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, that has set the dynamic benchmark for performance SUVs - and the fun, too - and at £65,100 (before generous discounts) offers 641bhp, ‘gearshifts’ and endless configurability and Hyundai’s generous warranty. It means the A390 is going to need all of its Gallic charm to convince the business owners who are the majority buyers of such cars it's what they want to spend the benefit-in-kind savings on.
